bike shit fit

[ergott]

Contrary to popular belief, this is not a painful way to sit on a bike. On the contrary, it is comfortable and the bike handles properly.

So long as there is not gut to get in the way. Messes with the whole equation.

Not implying anything about anyone here.

[Saab2000]

After a first serious fit 12 or so year ago, I kept on wanting to slide back. So I moved my saddle back until it felt good. That's how I ended where I am now.

I am certainly in no position to diagnose your knee pain or offer much real advice on the matter other than to say make small changes gradually. The new pedals might help or they might not. Did you try new shoes as well?

I've been extremely fortunate over the years to have not really suffered any injuries or pain which has lasted or been that severe. Fingers crossed....

[Lionel]

in the spirit of changing one thing at a time, I put the Keo2Max and used my same old trusty Sidis for now. I have to say I like the pedal very much so far (which means 3 rides). There going to be a lot of speedplay for sale soon as I have to change on 7 bikes....

[Dorman]

in the spirit of changing one thing at a time, I put the Keo2Max and used my same old trusty Sidis for now. I have to say I like the pedal very much so far (which means 3 rides). There going to be a lot of speedplay for sale soon as I have to change on 7 bikes....

Has Look fixed the squeeky while wet issue with those? Irritated me to the point of switching brands.

[Lionel]

Has Look fixed the squeeky while wet issue with those? Irritated me to the point of switching brands.

No clue, sunshine here....

[mowens]

Why did he retire? Did he have back problems or something? Crazy talented.

I believe that his knee was never the same after getting chopped up by someone's Spinergy. I remember watching him ride by me near the end of his career in his first (maybe only) Paris-Roubaix about 30 seconds into the famous Carrefour de l'Arbre section with less than 20 km to go. Museeuw was first. Bartoli was second. Classy rider that could do everything.
-Mike

[j44ke]

Seems like a lot of the fits now try to minimize the saddle above handlebar height. What is that measurement called - drop? My original fit had that measurement at 5.4cm. I felt like I was riding a Schwinn Stingray. It didn't feel right until I got it back to about 8-9cm. The rest of the fit seemed a definite improvement, but the drop measurement was curious. My saddle is awfully far forward though. To me it just looks wrong, but I feel like I am better on the bike.

Pretty easy to make oneself crazy with this stuff and wear out the seatpost binder, when the riding the damn thing is the real answer.

[Christian Fox]

Blow up and pin a picture of M. Bartoli on your wall. When you achieve that position, stop. Until then, stretch, ride, stretch, ride, eat less, and ride more.

I wrote that exact thing here sometime back and was scoffed at. Whether or not you ever achieve that position (not likely), there is benefit in observing the ideal.

[boots2000]

Gotta figure out what is right for you- Us punters can't fit you online. Also can't compare your fit to others of same size. Two riders could have exact same physical dimensions, but totally different saddle height, reach and bar drop.
If you push the saddle back because you think it looks better, or drop the stem because it looks better- it may not work better.
Also need to get out and see how it feels in all situations.

[Auk]

I wrote that exact thing here sometime back and was scoffed at. Whether or not you ever achieve that position (not likely), there is benefit in observing the ideal.

Well, the response is usually, I'm not a pro so why would I pretend to be one. I guess I just look at it in the fashion that it can't be so wrong if they are comfy doing it all day. Sure they're skinny, but wtf can't we be a bit thinner than the norm.

20 years ago, the over weight population was looked at as the exception, now they're the rule and the thin people are looked at as trying to "prove" something. Look at a hospital wheelchair 5 years ago and one now. The older one's no longer fit the wide asses that are coming in the door.

[classtimesailer]

I'd put it in a spot where you're not finding yourself sliding forwards or backwards too much. And as I noted, putting the saddle further back usually requires something of a drop in the saddle height.

Keep in mind that my advice is simply gained from my own riding. I have no other knowledge and have never been trained, other than that I always wanted to emulate guys like Greg Lemond or Bernard Hinault or Laurent Fignon. All of whom were Guimard pupils. And it seems to work for my body for the most part.




Contrary to popular belief, this is not a painful way to sit on a bike. On the contrary, it is comfortable and the bike handles properly.[/QUOTE]

So during hard efforts, do you spend the majority of your time in the drops?

Jeff

[Saab2000]

I'd put it in a spot where you're not finding yourself sliding forwards or backwards too much. And as I noted, putting the saddle further back usually requires something of a drop in the saddle height.

Keep in mind that my advice is simply gained from my own riding. I have no other knowledge and have never been trained, other than that I always wanted to emulate guys like Greg Lemond or Bernard Hinault or Laurent Fignon. All of whom were Guimard pupils. And it seems to work for my body for the most part.




Contrary to popular belief, this is not a painful way to sit on a bike. On the contrary, it is comfortable and the bike handles properly.

So during hard efforts, do you spend the majority of your time in the drops?

Jeff[/QUOTE]

I switch around, but I'm certainly not afraid of using the drops, especially when it's getting to be crunch time on the local Tuesday Night World Championships and I'm in with a shot to win the local rainbow jersey. ;-) But that usually ends when the road goes a bit uphill. Then I'm on the hoods.

[Brandon White]

Blow up and pin a picture of M. Bartoli on your wall. When you achieve that position, stop. Until then, stretch, ride, stretch, ride, eat less, and ride more.

This is my new signature.

[SteveP]

ride as much as you can. make tiny changes over time and dont change anything for no reason.
keep stuff the same if its working.

[jerk]

Why did he retire? Did he have back problems or something? Crazy talented.

yeah. his fit was too aggressive and riis wouldn't let him use the 80mm 25' stem and specialized secteur that dr. pruitt prescribed.

nah- he just got old. and slow(er).

[SteveP]

Not all people who claim to know what they're doing are equal.

this is bartolis bike now. he went to a prestigious fitter in toulouse... very comfortable...

[SteveP]

I brought my bike to Mike Z when I ordered mine. He spent 10 minutes watching me ride up and down the road and another 20 minutes making measurements and another 30 talking to me about my riding, etc. End result is the best fitting bike I've ever had.

Not all people who claim to know what they're doing are equal.

its the eye. its not the program.

[caleb]

the re-tool thread has resurfaced another annoyance that i have regarding fit. imho, most unfit cyclists don't sit far enough behind the BB. the result is that too much weight is cantilevered over the front end of the machine and the unfit athlete doesn't have the strength to sustain the position with comfort. the common solution(s) are to shorten the reach by moving the saddle forward yet some more(argh!), shorten the stem and raise the bar. i am convinced that this has caused the epidemic of shopping carts that pass as bicycles that are so prevalent today. a whole different world opens up once you settle in behind the BB.

I'm not convinced an unfit cyclist can properly sit on a bike for an extended period of time. There's too much mass restricting their breathing when they're bent over and too much weight on their spine/core.

A few years ago I asked the Jerk what to do with these people when I was filling in at a shop. The only answer I remember was to band-aid the bike together and send them out the door with an offer of a refit if they actually got in shape. I don't think I've come across better advice than that yet. A 250+ pound dude isn't going to become a cyclist in one visit to a bike shop. Losing 100+ pounds takes time and so does learning to ride a bike. Hopefully they go together.

[Too Tall]

I'm not convinced an unfit cyclist can properly sit on a bike for an extended period of time. There's too much mass restricting their breathing when they're bent over and too much weight on their spine/core.

A few years ago I asked the Jerk what to do with these people when I was filling in at a shop. The only answer I remember was to band-aid the bike together and send them out the door with an offer of a refit if they actually got in shape. I don't think I've come across better advice than that yet. A 250+ pound dude isn't going to become a cyclist in one visit to a bike shop. Losing 100+ pounds takes time and so does learning to ride a bike. Hopefully they go together.

Mehhh, I've seen plenty of fat old men riding perfect normal bicycles comfortably. Bars and saddle level. Go sit at the edge of most euro towns around dusk and you'll see a line of those fat old men riding perfectly normal bikes.
*No bunnies were hurt making this statement.

[WFSTEKL]

I'm not convinced an unfit cyclist can properly sit on a bike for an extended period of time. There's too much mass restricting their breathing when they're bent over and too much weight on their spine/core.

A few years ago I asked the Jerk what to do with these people when I was filling in at a shop. The only answer I remember was to band-aid the bike together and send them out the door with an offer of a refit if they actually got in shape. I don't think I've come across better advice than that yet. A 250+ pound dude isn't going to become a cyclist in one visit to a bike shop. Losing 100+ pounds takes time and so does learning to ride a bike. Hopefully they go together.

there are always exceptions, however it is still better to have the lard sit further behind the bb than shunted forward. saddle setback is not a panacea for bike fit. yet, i find that it facilitates a good platform for folks who: have poor core strength, have a heavy upper body (this can also be a tall, fit athlete), have a gut, have shoulderneckbackarmhand pain, have structural disabilities like disc disease, or want to look like fignonroachlemond. there is no absolute for bike fit. for example, a strong athlete with good morphology can endure a more forward position which opens the hip angle and allows a lower front end like the nice aero position of bartoli. you just have to figure out who you are and carry a spanner in your back pocket.